Report: Palace comfortably dispatch Cray Wanderers in pre-season friendly

Summary

• Quinn names a strong side to face Isthmian Premier League side Cray

• 5: Redhead puts Palace ahead with the first chance of the game

• 16: Redhead doubles the lead with a well-taken finish

• 24: Cowin adds a third halfway through the first-half

• 32: Hill makes a good save to deny a long-range Cray effort

• HT: Cray Wanderers 0-3 Palace

• 51: Cray are awarded a penalty, but Smith hits the bar and the follow up is over

• 60: Williams nets a fourth for Palace from the narrowest of angles

• 70: Cray have half-chances that go wide of the mark

• 73: Dashi curls home a fifth from 20-yards out

• 80: Cowin dinks one just over the bar, while Redhead just glances an effort wide

• 84: Khoshaba saves and holds onto a long-range Cray effort

• FT: Cray Wanderers 0-6 Palace

As this was a pre-season fixture, U18s head coach Rob Quinn named a strong side with the intention of rotating to ensure all players get minutes in their legs ahead of the new campaign.

Palace got off to a flying start, with Caleb Redhead opening the scoring five minutes in. Kai-Reece Adams-Collman slipped Redhead in behind and the No. 9 made no mistake to slot it past the Trialist goalkeeper.

Ten minutes later, Redhead picked up on a loose ball to find himself one on one with the ‘keeper and again finished with ease on his right foot to secure a brace.

Redhead was in for a hat-trick halfway through the first-half, but he saw his effort saved, however Freddie Cowin was on hand to pounce on the rebound and net a third for Palace.

The Wands’ best chance of the half came in the 33rd minute, though Marcus Hill in the Palace goal made a solid stop low down to his right.

Palace went into the break three goals to the good and came out racing in the second-half in search of more, but early momentum was with the hosts as they were awarded a penalty.

David Smith stepped up from 12-yards for Cray Wanderers, but he smashed the crossbar and the rebound was put well over.

On the hour-mark, Seb Williams added a fourth for Palace following some sublime footwork inside the box. He held off a challenge, took it to the byline and managed to sneak it past the ‘keeper from the tightest of angles.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Matteo Dashi curled home a fifth to all but seal the win for Palace. He found himself in space on the edge of the box and curled in a peach of an effort on his left foot.

A sixth looked on the cards for Palace in the time that remained, though Redhead saw a header glance wide of the far post and Cowin’s dinked effort just went narrowly over the crossbar.

With what was effectively the last kick of the game, Williams netted his second with a long-range effort. Cray’s goalkeeper got a hand to it, but it was hit low and hard into the bottom corner.

A solid display from Rob Quinn’s young Eagles, as they prepare for their new campaigns in the U18 Premier League South, the FA Youth Cup and the U18 Premier League Cup.

Cray: Trialist (GK), Taylor, Ijaha, Bonner, Trialist, Edwards, Trialist, Trialist, Clunis, Smith.

Palace: Hill (GK) (Khoshaba (GK), 61), Whyte, King (Muwana, HT), Somade, Walker-Smith, Cowin, Williams, Adams-Collman, Dashi, Lameiras, Redhead.

Subs: Judd, Osei, Montjen, Danaher, Casey.